• Samenwerking voor ontwikkeling geheel nieuw volledig elektrisch voertuig
• Rivian’s ‘skateboard’ chassis zal als basis dienen
• Ford kan hiermee zijn geëlektrificeerde modellengamma nog verder uitbreiden

Amstelveen, 24 april 2019 – Rivian kondigt vandaag aan dat Ford Motor Company $ 500 miljoen eigen vermogen in Rivian investeert. Naast deze investering zijn de bedrijven overeengekomen om samen te gaan werken aan een nieuw volledig elektrisch voertuig. Hierbij zal Rivians ‘skateboard’ chassis als basis genomen worden. Dit is een aanvulling op Fords snelgroeiende portfolio met elektrische voertuigen waaronder een op de Mustang geïnspireerde SUV, de Transit EV bedrijfswagen en een ‘zero emission’ versie van de F-150 pick-up.

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“This strategic partnership marks another key milestone in our drive to accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility,” said RJ Scaringe, Rivian founder and CEO. “Ford has a long-standing commitment to sustainability, with Bill Ford being one of the industry's earliest advocates, and we are excited to use our technology to get more electric vehicles on the road.”

“We are excited to invest in and partner with Rivian,” said Bill Ford, Ford’s executive chairman.

“I have gotten to know and respect RJ, and we share a common goal to create a sustainable future for our industry through innovation.”

Rivian already has developed two clean-sheet vehicles with adventurers at the core of every design and engineering decision. The company’s launch products – the five-passenger R1T pickup and seven-passenger R1S SUV – will deliver up to 400-plus miles of range and provide an unmatched combination of performance, off-road capability and utility, starting in late 2020.

“As we continue in our transformation of Ford with new forms of intelligent vehicles and propulsion, this partnership with Rivian brings a fresh approach to both,” said Jim Hackett, Ford president and CEO. “At the same time, we believe Rivian can benefit from Ford’s industrial expertise and resources.”

Ford intends to develop a new vehicle using Rivian’s flexible skateboard platform. This is in addition to Ford’s existing plans to develop a portfolio of battery electric vehicles. As part of its previously announced $11 billion EV investment, Ford already has confirmed two key fully electric vehicles: a Mustang-inspired crossover coming in 2020 and a zero-emissions version of the best-selling F-150 pickup.

Rivian remains an independent company. The investment is subject to customary regulatory approval. Following Ford’s investment, Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of Automotive, will join Rivian’s seven-member board.

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